Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines.



J. R. MOFFATT.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, I912.

Patented Feb. 27, 1.917.

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FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

AIPLICAIION FILED FEB. 26. I912.-

Patented Feb. 27, IJI7.

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v y 8111mm QViIucosco @513 d J. R. MOFFATT.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, I912.

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moms MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 26. I912.

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FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1912- Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

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w/m W JAMES R. MOFFATT, OF CHICAGQILLINOIS, A SSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed February 26, 1912. Serial No. 679,980.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. MorFA'r'r, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewing machines, and more gspecially to the feeding mechanism there- An object of the invention is to provide a differential feeding mechanism which is especially adaptedfor operation in connection with a multiple needle stitching mechanism, wherein the needles are widely spaced. I In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the inven tion,--

Figure 1 is a front view of a sewing machine having my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism beneath the work support;

Fig. 3 is a partial end view and a partial vertical sectional view, showing the feeding mechanism in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view centrally through the feeding mechanism;

Fig. 5 is adetail showing the manner of oscillating the feed rocker;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view with the parts separated showing several of the main'featuresof the feed-supporting mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective, showing the bracket cooperating with the eccentric which raises and lowers the main feed;

Fig. 8 is a detail in perspective, showing the yoke for supporting the auxiliary feed dog' Fig. 9- is a detail in perspectiveof the plate which engages the under face of the eccentric for raising and lowering the feed dog; and

FigJlO is a sectional view showing a combined facing and binding strip attached to a fabric and the relative position of the auxiliary feed dog.

In carrying out the invention, I have provided a sewing machine consisting of a bed plate 1, an overhanging arm 2 and a Work support 3. A needle lever 4 is pivoted to the overhanging arm, and is oscillated from the main shaft by an eccentric strap 5. A needle bar 6 is reciprocated in the needle head at the forward end of the overhanging arm by the lever 4. Said needle bar carries across head 7, at one end of which are mounted two needles 8, and at the other end of which is a single needle 9. The machine Coeperating with each needle beneath the work support is a looper 10. These ldopers are mounted on a shaft 11 and are adjustably attached thereto so that the loopers may be shifted when it is desired to vary the distance between the lines of stitching. The looper shaft 11 is mounted to oscillate in bearings formed in the brackets 12, 12.

At the outer end of the loopershaft is an arm 13, which is connected to a link 14 and the link in turn is connected to a crank pin 15 on a crank disk carried by the outer end of the main shaft. These loopers are of the ordinary non-thread-carrying type, and are the needles, and a pair of fabric-engaging 100 moved into and out of the needle loops as the main feed bar,

The support 19 is slotted vertically, and a screw 22 passing through the slot holds the support in various adjusted positions. The plate 21 is mounted on the main part of the feed bar 23, by suitable bolts. This main feed bar 23 is formed with spaced arms, and each of the arms is secured to a pivot pin, which is journaled in the feed rocker 24.

v This feed rocker 24 is pivotedat 25 to ears formed on the bed plate 1 of the machine, The feed rocker is moved back and forth from an eccentric on the main shaft, through an eccentric strap 26,,(see Fig. 5) which is pivoted to an arm 27 rigidly connected to the feed rocker 24.

As the main shaft rotates, the feed rocker will be oscillated, and will cause the feed bar to move back and forth insubstantially a horizontal plane. The lower face of the feed bar 23 rests on an eccentric 28.

An arm 29 is rigidly secured to the feed bar and projects underneath the. eccentric. This arm and the feed bar form a yoke,

and as the eccentric 28 rotates, the feed bar will be positively raised and lowered to cause the main feed dog to engage the fabric.

From the above description, it will be apparent that as the main shaft rotates, the feed rocker will be oscillated, and the main feed dogs moved back and forth, andthe main feed bar will also be raised and lowered in proper timed relations to the oscillations of the feeddogs, to cause said feed dogs to engage and feed the fabrics, and to be disengaged therefrom for their return stroke.'

As a means for supporting and operating the auxiliaryfeed dogs, I have provided the supporting plate 21 for the main feed dog with laterally projecting spaced lugs 30,

each of which is perforated and serves as a" bearing for side rods or bars 31. These side bars or rods are adapted to slide in the perforated lugs 30.

At their rear ends, each bar carries a collarwhich is attached to a cross rod 32.

A link 33 is provided with asleeve which is journaled on the rod 32, and the rear end of the link is providedwith a pivot bolt 34 adapted to be adjustably fixed in a segmental slot 35, formed inv a bracket arm 36 carried by the main feed rocker 2d,

By loosening the pivotbolt 34:, the same may be raised or lowered in the slot, and the intense llf, however, the pivot bolt is raised from the lower end of the slot, a slight reciprocating movement of the bars relative to the supporting plate 21 will result, and the amount of reciprocating movement between these parts will depend upon the adjust niient of the pivot bolt in said segmental s ot.

At the forward end of the bars 31 is adjustably'mounted a yoke 37. This yoke consists of side arms 38 which carry collars adapted to engage the ends of the rods or bars 31, and be firmly but adjustably secured thereto. Said yoke also consists of a crossbar 39, which is bolted to the ends of the side arms 38. This cross bar 39' is formed with a slot40.

The auxiliary feed dogs 17 are all mounted on a common shank which is formed with a depending support 4C1. Said support is formed with a vertical slot. A bolt 42 passing through the vertical slot is provided with a nut which laps the sides of the slot 40 and is capable of sliding longitudinally therein.

loweredrelative to the cross bar, or they may be moved longitudinally of the cross bar. Tn order to form a rest for the feed bar, I have provided screws 43, which are mounted in the upper edge of the cross bar 39..

The shank of the auxiliary feed bar rests on these screws. The screws may be raised and lowered, and thereby form. an adjustable seat for the auxiliary feed bar.

As above noted, the supporting bars or rodsfor the auxiliary feed dogs'are given a differential movement relative to the supporting plate for the main feed dogs, and, therefore, the auxiliary feed dogs will be given a difierential feed movement.

llf the link 33 is adjusted so that the pivot holt is carried to the lower end of the segmental slot 35, then the auxiliary feed dogs will move in un1son with the main feed dogs.

By this constructmn, wherein the auxmay be widely spaced. Furthermore, by

this construction l have provided a feed dog-supporting means, which will not be By loosening this screw 42, the auxiliary feed dogs may be raised and iliary feed dogs are carried by a yoke'atliable to tilt or cramp in any way due to I attached to the body mechanism including \also longitu any uneven pressure thereon. The feed dogs may be adjusted laterally, in order to accommodate the different spacing of the needles. Said'feed dogs may also be adjusted vertically so as to be brought into proper cooperative engagement with the fabric.

The differential feeding mechanism above described is especially adapted for cooperation with the widely spaced needles of a multiple needle stitching mechanism. In Fig. 1 I have shown a folder 44, which is adapted to fold a strip of fabric so that one face thereof is much wider than the other, and invert the sameas it passes to the stitching mechanism. This strip of fabric when fabric becomes a combined'facing and binding strip.

One of thespecial urposes of a machine of this character is or placing a binding and facing strip onto an elastic or knit fabric. A great deal of trouble is experienced in stitchin a non-elastic binding strip to an elastic ody fabric, owing to the fact that the dra on frictionof the operating parts on .t e elastic goods unduly stretches the same. By the present mechanism, however, where the auxiliary feed dogs are located in front of the stitching mechanism, andalso so disposed as to engage the knit fabric only, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, said knit fabric may be fed a little faster to the stitching mechanism, in order to makeup for any undue stretching, and thereby the elastic fabric fed as evenly and smoothly as the non-elastic fabric.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of stitch forming mechanism and feeding. mechanism, said a main feed bar, feed supporting bars carried thereby and projecting forwardly therefrom, one on each side of the needle of the stitch forming mechanism, a cross support carried by said supporting bars and located wholly in front of the needle, a feed dog detachably connected to said cross support and means for moving the feed supporting bars independently of said main feed bar.

2. The combination of stitching mechanism including a needle and feeding mechanism including feed-supporting bars one on each side of the need e and extending in front thereof, a cross support carried by said bars, a feed dog, means for attaching said feed dog to said cross'support, whereby said feed do may be adjusted vertically and dinally of said cross bar.

bracket and located on opposite sides of the needle and extending in front thereof, an auxiliary feed dog adjustably carried by said feedsupporting bars and. projecting rearwardly toward the needle, said auxiliary feed dog being located wholly in front of the needle.

4. The combination of stitching mechanism includinga needle and a feeding mechanism including a main feed bar, feed dogs carried thereby, auxiliary feed-supporting bars carried by the main feed bar, located one on each side of the needle and extending in front thereof, an auxiliary feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed'bar, and means for imparting a differential movement to said auxiliary feed-supporting bars.

5. The combination of a main feed bar, a feed dog supported thereby, auxiliary feed bars located one on each side of the main feed, dog and extending in front thereof, and an auxiliary feed'dog carried by said auxiliary feed bars.

6. The combination of a main feed bar, a feed dog supported thereby, auxiliary feed bars located one on each side of the main feed dog'and extending in front thereof, an auxiliary feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed bars, and means for imparting a difi'erential movement to said auxiliary feed dog.

7.'The combination of a main feed bar, a main feed dog carried thereby, auxiliary feed bars slidingly supported by. the main feed bar and located one on each side thereof, said auxiliary feed bars extending in front of the main feed dog, and an auxiliary feed dog carried by the said auxiliary feed bars.

SL The combination of a main feed bar, a main feed dog carried thereby, auxiliary feed bars slidingly supported bythe main feed bar and located one on each side thereof, said auxiliary feed barsextending in front of the main feed dog, an auxiliary feed dog carried by the said auxiliary feed bars, and means for impartin a differential movement to said auxiliary eed do s.

9. The combination of a main feed bar, a feed rocker to which said main feed baris pivoted, a main feed dog carried by said feed bars and located in front of said main feed dog, means for raising and lowering the main feed bar, a bracket carried by said main feed rocker and having a segmental slot therein, a pivot bolt adjustable in said slot, a link connecting said pivot bolt to the auxiliary feed bars- 11. The combination of a main feed bar having spaced rearwardly projecting arms, a feed rocker having spaced arms pivotally connected to the spaced arms of the main feed bar, a slotted bracket carried by the feed rocker and located between the spaced arms thereof, a main feed dog carried by the main feed bar, an auxiliary feed bar slidingly supported by the main feed bar, a link connected to the auxiliary feed bar and to said slotted bracket for giving the auxiliary feed bar a differential movement, and an auxiliary feed dog carried by the auxiliary feed bar.

12. The combination of a main feed bar, a plate carried thereby, a main feed, dog supported by said plate, said plate having bearings extending from each side thereof, bars slidably mounted in said bearings, a yoke connected to the forward end of said bars and located in front of the main feed dog, an auxiliary feed dog carried by the yoke, and means for reciprocating said bars in said side bearings for imparting a differential movement to the auxiliary feed dog.

13. The combination of a main feed bar, a plate carried thereby, a main feed dog supported by said plate, said plate having bearings extending from each side thereof, bars slidably mounted in said bearings, a yoke connected to the forward end of said bars and located in front of the main feed dog, an auxiliary feed dog carried by the yoke, means for reciprocating said bars in said side bearings for imparting a differential movement to the auxiliary feed dog, and means for raising and lowering the main feed dog.

14, The combination of a main feed bar, a feed rocker to which said main feed bar is )ivotally connected, means for raising and lowering the main feed bar, a plate carried by said main feed bar, a plurality of feed dogs adjustably mounted 'on said plate, said plate having laterally projecting bearings, bars mounted to slide i'n' said bearings, a yoke connected to the forward end of said bars, auxiliary feed dogs adjustably carried by said yoke, a cross bar connecting the rear ends of said side bars, a link pivot ally connected to said cross bar,- a slotted bracket carried by the feed rocker, and a pivot bolt carried by said bracket to which the other end of said link is pivoted.

15. A sewing machine including in com bination, stitch-forming mechanism including a looper, a main feeding mechanism including a main feed bar, a feed dog carried thereby, supplemental feed bars located side by side, said bars being spaced and carried by said main feed bar and projecting in advance of the looper, said supplemental feed bars being movably carried by said main feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed bar, said feed dogs and. said auxiliary feed bars'outlining a space containing the looper.

16. A sewing machine including in combination, stitch-forming mechanism including a looper, a support for said looper, and a feeding mechanism including a main feed bar located in rear of said looper support, a main feed dog carried thereby, auxiliary feed bars located side by side on opposite sides of the looper and extending to a point in advance of said looper support, an auxiliary fed dog supported thereby, means for moving said main feed bar, and means for giving said auxiliary feed dog a differential movement relative to said main feed dog.

17. A. feeding mechanism for sewing machines including in combination, a main feed bar, amain feed. dog carried thereby, a

lurality of auxiliary feed bar's located side by side, said feed bars being spaced from each other and carried by said main feed bar, means connecting said auxiliary feed bars at a point in advance of the main feed dog, and an auxiliary feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed bars.

18. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including in combination, a main feed bar, a main feed dog carried thereby, a plurality of auxiliary'feed bars carried by said main feed bar, means connectingsaid auxiliary feed bars at a point in advance of the main feed dog, and an auxiilary feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed bars, said main feed dog being adjustable laterally of said main feed bar and said auxiliary feed dog being adjustable laterally uopn the connecting means for the auxiliary feed bars.

19. In a sewing machine, a feeding mechanism comprising a main feed bar, a main feed dog carried thereby, said main feed bar carrying a plurality of supplemental feed bars located side by side and spaced from each other, said supplemental feed bars being movable relative to the main feed bar and connected in advance of the main feed bar carrying adjustable feed dogs in Cit ferential feed bar, said main feed bar carrying a plurality of supplemental feed bars, feed dogs supported by saidsupplemental feed bars in advance of the main feed bar, said supplemental feed bars at their rear endsbeing connected with means to give a 10 forward and backward movement to said supplemental bars.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence-0f two witnesses.

JAMES R. MOFFATT. \Vitnesses C. MoNm A. B. CLOTHIER. 

